


While You Were Sleeping

by iluvaqt



Series: DC & Marvel: Nightingale [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Smallville
Genre: F/M, Family, Hospitals, Hurt, Missing Scene, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 19:09:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4888624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iluvaqt/pseuds/iluvaqt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scene from Captain America: The Winter Soldier</p><p>Sam finds out just how popular with the ladies Steve is. But there's only one in particular that he's been waiting for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	While You Were Sleeping

Sam watched the heart monitor change indicating that Steve was starting to wake up. The man had been shot up, had his nose broken, suffered a dislocated jaw, a ruptured spleen, a hairline skull fracture and three broken ribs and it had only taken him two days to wake up. 

Well he wasn't Captain America for laughs. Pity there wasn't more of that Super Serum to go around. For a guy who'd been on ice for the past 70 odd years he sure knew a lot of hot women. There was a nurse who had came to visit when Steve had come out of surgery, but she moved like Natasha, so he was pretty sure nurse was just a cover. There was a reporter, Lois Lane, the woman's byline picture didn't do her justice at all, but then who's newsprint picture ever did? He had almost had security escort her out when he recognized her but she assured him she wasn't here for a story and when she didn't pull out a recorder or a camera, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. She said she was there as family. Sam didn't know Cap had any family still around, aside from the former best friend everyone thought was dead and was actually a world-class assassin and probably the top of Interpol's Most Wanted.

"You better not die on us, Rogers. You're made of sterner stuff. A few bullet holes and broken bones shouldn't slow you down, besides I'm still waiting for you to make good on your promise, so get that heart back together and wake up because there's a certain blonde I've decided needs a jailbreak, or a Prince Charming. I realize they've been going about this all wrong. Aurora need her prince to wake her up."

She didn't ask Sam to leave and he tried not to listen but couldn't help himself. She was being strangely cryptic and his curiosity was peaked. She kissed Steve on the cheek and nodded across at him. 

"Anyone tries anything while he's out, give them hell. And if you ever need back up, or some extra guns, give me a call," she said and gave him her card. "And the break in at Fort Meade, Dad heard it was so you could help Cap take down the Helicarriers before HYDRA could weaponize them, he smoothed things over with General Taskings. They want their prototype back of course but there won't be any charges."

"Do they know I broke it?"

Lois grinned. "They will now. Send it back anyway. They've got all the schematics, just rights they're sweating I think. Government property and all. Take care of him, Wilson."

"Will do, Ma'am."

Natasha never dropped by but she did check in with him, especially to give him the heads up that the suits in Washington might come looking for Steve.

Sam had used his contacts at the V.A to keep Steve's records off book. The only people who knew he was here were Commander Hill and Agent Romanoff, which is why he found it so odd that women keep showing up.

"I leave you alone for a couple weeks and look at what you do to yourself," she chided softly as she silently entered the room. She looked over at him instead of Steve then and extended her hand to him. "Chloe Sullivan. My cousin tells me you've been looking out for him. Thank you. Thank you for having his back."

Sam shook her hand, she had a firm handshake for a woman. It surprised him even more so because she was tiny. Well next to Cap she'd be tiny. In flats she was 5'5, and probably only came up to his ear. 

"He's a living legend. Cap shows up on your doorstep, asking for help, what are you going to do?"

Chloe smiled. "Some people would slam the door and scream take your problems some place else. You're a brave man, Sam Wilson."

"No one's ever actually called me that before," he said smiling.

"Wearing mechanical wings and relying on jet thrusters to stay airborne, I find that hard to believe," she countered. "I'm not local but I'm going to stay as long as it takes. If you want to switch out, take a break, shower or get some rack time..."

"Don't sleep much, Ma'am."

"Please, it's Chloe. I only just broke, Steve of that habit awhile ago. Ma'am makes me think I've got green recruits incoming."

"I met your cousin and now you show up. I didn't know Cap had family." He watched a subtle blush grace her cheeks. "Any reason he didn't call you guys for help. Your cousin has military connections and it seems like you do too."

"I was S.H.I.E.L.D, but before that I worked with an independent group. Believe me, if Steve had called, and if I'd been awake to see the news, I would have given Rumlow and that slime-ball Sitwell plenty to cry about."

"The Sleeping Princess," Sam mused with a grin.

"What did you say?"

"Your cousin, Lois. She told Steve that Aurora was waiting for her prince to wake her up."

Chloe's mouth dropped open. "Sometimes I could strangle Lois." She shook her head with a rueful smile. "I'll go by his apartment and settle things with the landlord. They're screaming blue murder over the broken walls, shattered windows and bullet holes."

"You know where he lives?" Sam asked. "Doc reckons familiar stimulus will be good for him. Wanted to get some clothes and records but didn't have an address."

"Romanoff didn't give it to you?"

"She's a tough one to pin down," Sam said sitting up straighter in his chair. "Been playing him Marvin Gaye. Catching him up," he said by way of explanation.

Chloe smiled. "Nice choice. Can I have your number? I'll text you back so you can have mine. Call me, if he wakes up while I'm gone?"

Sam glanced at his phone that was plugged into the speaker dock. "Sure." He was surprised when all she did was wave her phone over his. "You can just... Just like that?"

"I dabble in tech a bit."

"Sounds like you dabble in a lot," Sam said warily. He was getting the vibe that there was a lot more to Chloe Sullivan than the sweet, non-threatening exterior she projected.

Chloe pocketed her phone and gently traced around the bruises on Steve's face. Leaning in close, she pressed her lips against the only undamaged part of his face and lingered there, missing the warmth and the scent of his skin. "Get stronger and hang in there alright."

It couldn't be more than two minutes after she left that he stirred.

"If I was you, I'd pretend to sleep at least a day or so longer. I'm half expecting Supergirl to show up next. You never said you had family."

Steve blinked slowly, he could still hear her voice in his head. He could have sworn he could smell her perfume too. "Was anyone just here?"

"Pretty blonde?" Steve immediately perked up and Sam got up to get his phone. Sure enough it beeped with a new message revealing her number.

Sam called her. "Cap's awake...Okay...We're not going anywhere."

He half expected her to come racing back but she didn't. He suspected that she might even be stalling, although as to the reason why he had no idea. Steve seemed to be ready to climb out of bed just to go after her. Attempting to lever himself around had him near passing out again though, so he resigned himself to waiting. Not patiently however.

An hour later she was back. One look at the way they stared at each other had Sam uncomfortably clearing his throat and making himself scarce. "I think I'll take a bathroom break and maybe go for coffee."

Chloe thanked him for calling and then waited till the door closed to look at Steve again. "You're a mess."

"Marry me," he blurted out.

Chloe smiled a slow smile and shook her head, moving closer to his bed. "I think they're giving you too much morphine, or you hit your head when you fell out of that Helicarrier."

Steve blinked in confusion and frowned. That wasn't the response he'd been hoping for. He took her hand when she got close enough. "Bucky's alive, Chloe. Whatever HYDRA did to him when they captured him back in '43, he survived the fall and they made him into their weapon. Seeing him, surviving this, seeing you... I'm done waiting. I love you, and I was so pissed off at myself that I didn't get to tell you..."

"Language," she teased softly.

Steve scowled at her and kissed her fingers, wincing at the pressure and tugging it caused his abused face. "I want you to be my wife. I'm tired of regrets and I swore that the second I got you back, I'd ask. So this is me asking."

"You're not still angry about the..." She waved her fingers, letting off a faint glow. 

Steve frowned and hiss out a breath in frustration over such a wasted opportunity to embrace her and prove he'd always be there for her. He'd screwed up that moment in a monumental way. Squeezing her hand, he shook his head as much as his aching muscles would let him. "My only worry is the wrong people finding out about you. You don't know how grateful I am that Maria covered for you so well that S.H.I.E.L.D and HYDRA don't know anything about you."

Chloe nodded. "I've got some pretty amazing friends." With the hand he wasn't holding, she touched his cheek and gently caressed his skin with the pad of her thumb. "Sure you don't want to hook up with your neighbor from 37B?"

Steve tugged her forward and kissed her on the lips, ignoring the stabbing of protest of his jaw and tender skin inside his mouth. He broke away reluctantly for much needed air and pressed his forehead against hers. "Don't you start. I was only being neighborly. Besides, turns out Sharon was Fury's spy. So no, I'm not interested in Agent 13. The woman I love and couldn't tell anyone about has been in a coma up until now. Because of that reason I've had to put up with Romanoff trying to pair me off with every single dame she knows."

Chloe carded her fingers through his shorter hair and gave him a watery smile. "Here I thought you'd moved on while I was sleeping." She bit down on her lower lip to keep it from betraying her nerves, she felt a single hot tear streak down her face. "I like it longer," she said softly.

"It'll grow out," he promised her. He rubbed his nose against hers. "So what do you say, Angel? Be my dancing partner?"

"I'll marry you, Rogers," she said kissing him gently. Breaking away so she could stroke his face, and look into his beautiful, earnest baby blues, she smiled at him. "But I'm not saying I Dos till you're all patched up. We're not having you look like a Picasso for our wedding pictures and since I'm sure you won't let me speed up the process--"

"No way, no how. I won't risk you ever doing that again. I missed you too damn much and besides, I heal pretty quick on my own."

Chloe kissed his forehead and stood up. "Your landlord has evicted you," she said sadly. "But on the upside, Stark seems very eager to put you up."

Steve pulled a face that showed just how impressed he was over that idea.

"I have it on good authority that your fiancée has a nice townhouse in Brooklyn and she wouldn't mind having you move in. Since marriages tend to have a better success rate when couples actually live together."

"You don't think she'll mind that her husband-to-be is currently unemployed?"

"She heard he's been busy while she was out of commission fixing up a prized collectible and that it's in near mint condition now and rumbles like a jungle cat. Pete says he's got a buyer ready to pay 36K for it. It'd say that should tide them over while they both job hunt," she told him with a wink.

"Have I told you I love you?" he said before pulling her closer to kiss her again.

Chloe climbed into bed next to him and tucked her head by his throat. She did her best to keep her weight off him and her arms above any bandages but Steve made it difficult for her to keep her distance by bracketing her with his arms and crushing her close. "You said it once already, but I won't tire of hearing you say it. And Steve, I love you too."

::: ::: :::

Sam came back around the time they were bantering over accommodations and found himself at a loss of where to look when the PDAs started getting out of hand.

"They did an impressive job keeping that under wraps, didn't they."

Her voice made him jump and he ended up spilling coffee over his hand and the end of his jacket. "Do you like sneaking up on people? I mean I get that you're a spy but really?"

Maria's lips twitched. "Here," she said and offered him a towel from a housekeeping trolley nearby. "Perks of having insider information. I've known Chloe a long time, and Steve's the only guy to ever turn her head."

Sam tossed the towel in a laundry bin and observed the couple through the window. "I think he's further gone than she is, and before today, I didn't even know he had anyone in his life."

"This job has hazards you haven't even seen yet, Wilson. You sure you want to stick around?"

Sam stood a little taller. "I got back in the fight because I found a new mission, Ma'am. Until Cap says we're done, I'll keep suiting up."

Maria smiled. "I wish you well then, soldier. In the meantime, you might want to find yourself a tux. I think Cap might need a different kind of wingman soon."

::: ::: :::

After Romanoff left them in the cemetery with Bucky's file, Sam asked Steve what their next move was.

"Chloe has resources we can tap into. She's going to do everything she can to help us find him. And we've got somewhere set up to help him once we do but first point of duty is a little closer to home."

Sam grinned knowing this is where that suit he'd bought for his brother's wedding last year was going to prove it's money's worth. Damn thing had cost him half a pay-check. "When's the date?"

Steve smiled and scratched his neck. "Her family are coming up on Thursday and the wedding's Friday afternoon. Senator Kent booked the Plaza."

"Man, I thought that place needed to be booked like a year head?"

Steve smiled slowly. "Money talks but I think it's who you know that works better. So do you think you're up for being my best man?"

Sam laughed, a wide grin splitting his face. "Are you serious? Cap, the bragging rights, the vets will be shaking my hand and asking for my picture," he joked.

Steve smiled and shook his head. "Rehearsal dinner is at seven. Lois says if either of us are late, the Bachelor party will be with the General."

Sam whistled. "That woman is evil."

"No, she's sly and a hard-ass but not evil."

Sam snorted. "She has you whipped already doesn't she?" He never would have believed it unless he'd seen it with his own two eyes but to Steve, Chloe was his sun. He gravitated to her and drew in her radiance. He was a different person around her. Happier, more relaxed, more sure footed. It was a tad nauseating watching how adorable they got around each other. Seeing them you could be fooled into thinking they were just a regular young couple in love.

But they weren't.

He was Steve Rogers, Captain America. And she was Chloe Sullivan, ex-S.H.I.E.L.D agent and Sam suspected, anything but ordinary.

Steve headed back to where he'd parked his ride, the dossier Romanoff had given him tucked under his arm.

Sam took a breath and let it out slowly. Hill was right, he really didn't know what he was getting himself in for. He was a trained marine but he was rubbing shoulders with powerful people and just signed on to track down a mechanical armed, brainwashed assassin. His life had taken a sharp turn into dangerous and unfamiliar territory, a small part of him worried he was out of his depth. But another voice that accompanied a smile that could rival a summer dawn told him he was brave enough. 

And call him crazy but he believed her.


End file.
